Keith Hill says Oldham looked scared of Scunthorpe comeback hero Ryan Loft

Delighted Scunthorpe boss Keith Hill saluted “superb” Ryan Loft after the substitute’s brace helped his side climb off the bottom of League Two with a 3-1 comeback win over relegation rivals Oldham.

Hill believes the Latics defence were scared of the 24-year-old, who came on after the interval with the Iron behind and went on to score twice and provide an assist in what was the club’s first away win of the season.

“Ryan’s been superb,” said Hill, whose maiden win as Scunthorpe manager saw them climb up to 22nd, above Stevenage and Oldham, who are now bottom.

“He’s done ever so well since I arrived here. He has been starting, but when you’re always looking for strike partnerships sometimes you have to change things around a bit.

“We certainly got that penetration I was after when he came on after half-time.

“It looked as though Oldham were quite scared of him if I’m honest.

“We know what he’s got in his locker – he just needs to bring it out more, and he knows that.

“He’s a very, very good player who just needs to perform with a bit more consistency.”

Hill added: “It was a great victory for the club. The players certainly deserved it.

“We were toothless in the first half, but we did know which way we could get in against Oldham.

“They are a good footballing side on the eye, with a number of players who can attack, so we had to make we were good and efficient on the ball.

“We were exactly that in the second half – we stepped it up and took advantage where we should have done in the first half.”

Oldham held the advantage at the break thanks to Benny Couto’s 12th-minute strike.

He smashed home an angled drive into the top corner from 18 yards.

It was 1-1 shortly after the restart when Loft volleyed home smartly.

Two goals in three minutes then swung the game firmly Scunthorpe’s way as Myles Hippolyte struck, before Loft drilled home clinically to make it 3-1.

It is now just one win in 10 for troubled Oldham and interim boss Selim Benachour offered no excuses.

“We are in a complicated situation, we know that,” he said.

“We started the game very well and got our goal, and we were on top in the first 20 minutes.

“We dropped off after our goal, though, and there were doubts there.

“In the second half we just lost control of the game.

“Scunthorpe were better than us in the second half, physically, mentally, and they won the challenges and the second balls.

“We just need to bounce back quickly.

“I don’t know what’s happened, but I know I have to find the solution quickly.

“I will take responsibility for this defeat of course, but the players need to show me a reaction in the next game.

“We have to think quicker and forget this game now.”